Senin, 27 September 2010

Cyclocross 2010 we are go !

The campaign begins anew. On Saturday 9/18 my beloved Curtlo frame arrived at 12:15 and was rushed into the man cave. I cranked up the tunes and cranked up my bike assembly skills, and at 2:45 I was riding warm up laps at Starcrossed. I hadn’t been on my cross bike since June, and I was predictably rusty. My rib and shoulder injuries had slowed my weight work as well. My legs were fresh and I felt I had some power. The carbon wheels required new brake pads and that set up wasn’t as dialed in as I would have liked so I was braking earlier for corners than I should have been. I was using the race as a tune up anyway, so I was happy with how everything worked. The new wheels have been wonderful so far. As a result of the new 80% rule, I was pulled before the final lap, so I actually didn’t get lapped.On Sunday I raced my single speed bike, “The Baconator,” with moderate success. The course was pancake flat so I was geared a little low, but it worked out just fine. I had power and the tubie front dug in when needed. Hank said the course as “greasy” and that was an accurate description. As the rain increased dramatically during my race a puddle that had to be run across went from the size of a pizza to the size of a Volkswagen. I wore the skinsuit and tried not to feel self-conscious. It was good to be reminded how newbies feel when they put on bike shorts for the first time. I was not lapped and while others were pulled (or perhaps died on course) I was not. To finish on the same lap as Craig Ethridge is an honor.

Hottie was giving me a much appreciated massage on Sunday evening. After two races she noted some cuts on my legs and a bruise on my shoulder. Cyclocross has indeed begun.

This past weekend Hottie and I turned down multiple invitations on Saturday and forced ourselves to take some down time. On Sunday we caravanned down to the race with SFW. Ask not for whom the pink bike rolls, it rolls for SFW. I took SFW on a wet loop while she got used to riding her rig on a real CX course. Well, kind of used to it...I did the double and raced my age group at 10:15 and the Single speed at 1:30. It made for a long day, and the first minute of the Single speed race I thought my legs were going to explode. My age group race was going okay and I bonked on a short climb and lost about five places when I had been moving up. My Single speed race was more fun and I beat some guys. I have to race against guys in their twenties, but they don’t mind, so I’m not about to complain. They are so welcoming I call them brothers as they pass me, or as I pass them….